Lottery retailers expected to be busy today

Iowa Lottery retailers will likely see a boost in business today. The Powerball and Hot Lotto games both have big jackpots for tonight’s drawings. Iowa Lottery C.E.O. Terry Rich says sales have been especially brisk at the lottery’s booth inside the Varied Industries Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Three of the lottery’s four terminals at the Iowa State Fair ended up as the top three retail spots in the state for lottery ticket sales leading up to Saturday night’s drawings. The fourth terminal at the fair also landed in the top ten for sales, accompanied by five lottery retailers on Iowa’s eastern border.

"We really get a lot of business from the Mississippi River towns like Clinton, Dubuque, Davenport and Burlington because Illinois does not have Powerball," Rich said. "A lot of people come across the border with business into the state of Iowa." The drawing for tonight’s Powerball jackpot is for an estimated $245-million, the 10th largest jackpot in the history of the game.

The Hot Lotto jackpot is up to an estimated $16.4 million, the second largest jackpot ever offered in that game.